Istanbul: A Volunteer's Survival Guide

In the summer of 2000, 9 intrepid young Europeans went to live and work in Istanbul as volunteers. Neither they, nor probably Istanbul, were ever quite the same again. Six months after their arrival in Turkey they got together to write a short guide on life in the city for the next batch of ICYE volunteers. This forms the main body of information here.

This site aims to give at least a vague idea of what life in Istanbul is like for anyone planning to visit it on holiday, or live there for an extended period of time. Obviously, life everywhere is always changing, so this can't be considered a definitive account, but we hope it lessens the culture shock so you can see what an amazing place Istanbul is. Of course, this guide is based on our experiences in Istanbul, and as such you may feel the advice is subjective, or even complete rubbish. That's your perogative. Either way, we hope you enjoy our views of living in Istanbul as foreigners, and that you contact us with your experiences when you get back from your trip.

Iyi Yolculuklar (have a great journey)

This site last updated 14th March 2001